Gas generating apparatus



March 24, 1936. F. E, sUpDoTl-i l r2,035,026

GAS GENERATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. '7, 1955 [HERE/VT Sl/PPL y i f, n f i n Patented Mar. 24, 1936 GAS GENERATING APPARATUS Application August 7, 1933, Serial N0. 684,003

12 Claims.

The object of my invention is to provide gas generating apparatus which is simple, durable and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object is to provide gas generating apparatus Which carburets fuel, such as gasoline and stores it for use at a constant pressure, the carbureting means being electrically operated and controlled in accor-dance with the demand for gas, an automatic switch being used for this purpose and responsive to the volume of stored generated gas.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of this kind in which gasoline or the like can be carbureted, the mechanism having a drain feature for residue which does not become atomized.

Still a further object is to provide gas generat- -..ing apparatus having safety features to shut off the apparatus upon non-normal conditions occurring.

Still another object is to provide a heater in connection with a carburet-or for my gas generating apparatus for securing generation under practically constant conditions throughout various temperature changes in the surroun-ding atmosphere.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a gas generating apparatus embodying my invention and omitting control structures shown in Figure 3.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of the same complete.

Figure 3 is a combined sectional and perspective view of automatic control structures in their relation to each other.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view at the bottom of the blower in the apparatus.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a diagram of a modification.

On the accompanying drawing, I have used the reference numeral I to indicate an outer tank open at its top. It is supported in any suitable manner, such as by a base plate I2 having legs I4. An inner tank I6 open at its bottom, telescopes with respect to the outer tank I I) and is guided by guide clips I8 sliding on vertical rods 20 which are suitably secured to the stationary tank I0. The tanks I0 and I6 constitute a storage tank.

The outer tank I0 is lled with liquid 22 such storage tank, I provide a blower 24 driven by an electric motor 26 and drawing gas from a carburet-or A to which liquid fuel is supplied, as for instance from a storage tank 28.

The outlet of the carburetor A is connected with the inlet of the blower 24, the blower having its outlet 30 extending upwardly a substantial disstance an-d into the tank I, its upper end terminating above the level of the liquid seal 22. On its upper end, a screen 32 and a check valve 35 are mounted.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that upon energization of the motor 26, the blower 2li will suck in air through the carburetor A, drawing atomized gasoline in with it in the ordinary manner and will then blow the gas thus generated up through the outlet 30, screen 32 and valve 3G into the tank I6 and raise it as the volume of gas supplied thereto increases. The volume of gas is decreased as needed by appliances, such as stoves and lights, a supply pipe 36 being associated with the apparatus, as shown in Figure 2, and extending to the appliances.

I am aware that heretofore gas generating apparatus has been patented in which air is introduced in the form of small bubbles below the level of liquid fuel and collects gas as it rises therethrough. Such apparatus leaves a substantial residue in the fuel tank which cannot be changed to gas in this manner.

By carbureting the fuel however and using preferably stove and lighting gasoline, a maximum of the liquid fuel is changed to gas. In this connection, the blower 24 acts as an atomizing means in addition to the carburetor A because of the atomized gasoline being struck by fan blades 25 of the blower and by having a blower which is considered somewhat inefficient, the products from the carburetor are better atomized because they are churned within the blower casing a longer period of time instead of being discharged immediately` through the outlet 30.

I nd the gasoline used in automobiles unsuited for my purpose without a greatpercentage of residue which is not atomized. This is due to the fact that ordinary automobile gasoline is a mixture of high test gasoline and two or three grades of lower test gasoline which do not explode as readily as the high test gasoline. Consequently, the high test portion explodes first in the cylinder and the low grades later because they require higher heat, which is furnished by the high test gasoline having exploded and there is a progressive explosion throughout theA stroke of the piston.

For stove and lighting purposes however, only the high test gasoline is used and consequently there is only a slight percentage of the fuel which is not atomized.

The part that is not atomized cannot be blown the entire height of the outlet 38, except possibly a small percentage of it and such percentage is caught by the screen 32 and drips back down the outlet 38 when the blower is not operating. These drops of residue gasoline drain back to the bottom of the blower 24, as indicated at 38 (see Figure 4) This small pool of residue gasoline is churned up each time the blower is started so that if there is any possibility of it becoming atomized, it can do so. If there is no such possibility, it overflows through a tube 40 into a residue container 42, such as a jar or the like, which is readily disconnectible from `a cap 44.

. gets above that shown in Figure 4, it will overflow through the tube 40. The residue is not an entire waste as it can be used in automobiles or other gasoline using devices.

For safety, a fire screen 46 is located in the supply pipe 36 so that lire from the appliances cannot back up into the tank I6. A fire screen 48 is provided between the blower 24 and the carburetor A soI that fire cannot enter the storage tank from the intake direction.

I have found my apparatus to work quite satisfactorily above seventy or eighty degrees temperature. Below that temperature, there is more residue in proportion to the amount of fuel used and I therefore find it desirable to maintain a certain air temperature at the intake of .the carburetor A. I accomplish this by an intake casing 56 having a heating element 52 therein. The heating element is controlled by a switch 54 which is automatic, the switch having a bimetal controlling element 56 located in the air intake of the carburetor so as to energize the heating element 52 only when the air entering the carburetor is cooler than desired.

The air intake casing 50 is provided with inwardly directed ns 58 which become heated by radiation from the element 52 and retain heat over a considerable period of time, the heat being held by insulation 6|) surrounding the casing 5U.

It is of course desirable to have the blower operate automatically in accordance with the demand for gas. This is readily accomplished by a switch B controlling the circuit to the motor 26 and operated to olf position when the tank I6 is raised and to on position when it is lowered. The tank has a control rod 62 extending therefrom and connected by a chain 64 to an arm 66 of aswitch base 68.

The switch base is pivoted at I0 and has on it a mercury tube switch 'I2 pivoted at 14. 'Ihe tube is normally held in predetermined position relative to the base 68 by a bell crank latch arm 16.'

In a fuel line 29 leading from the fuel tank 28 to the carburetor A, I provide a valve 'I8 normally open but adapted to be closed by a weight 8l) which is freely oscillatable on a shaft 82 but engageable with stops 84 and 86 which are rigid with the movable part of the valve. 'Ihus it will be obvious that swinging of the weight 88 toward the right in Figure 3 will cause it to engage the stop 86 and turn the valve to the off position.

For moving the weight 80 automatically, I provide an arm 88 also freely oscillatable on the shaft 82 and normally in the raised position illustrated. It can be lowered by the weight of liquid in a bowl 90, such liquid being supplied either from a float bowl 92 of the carburetor A through an overflow pipe 94, or from the tank I0 through an overflow pipe 96.

rI'he movable part of the valve 'I8 has a stud 98 normally under a weighted arm IDU which is pivoted at |82. When the valve closes, the weighted arm is released so that it will pull downwardly on a rod I 04 and swing the latch 'I6 so that the switch I2 will swing on the pivot I4 to its off position.

Overflow of the sealing liquid 22 may be a result of either the chain 64 breaking and allowing the tank I6 to raise to its upper limit of movement, or the switch to stick in the on position, or the tank I6 to become stuck in its guides. If any of these events take place, pressure will be built up in the tank I6 to displace the fluid 22 and cause it to rise in the tank I0, whereupon it will overiiow. Sticking of the oat valve in the carburetor, or a dirty oat valve seat will cause fuel to overflow therefrom and into the bowl 90. Thus a number of non-normal conditions occurring operate the mechanism of Figure 3 to shut off operation of the gas generating apparatus. After the trouble is remedied, the apparatus can be reset by raising the lever I 88 and rotating the weight 86 to its original position.

In case the tank I6 moves lower than its normal low position, for instance as shown by the dotted line position of the rod 62 in Figure 3, then the switch base 68 will be tipped further and the rod Ill4 acting as a stop for the bell crank 16, will cause it to swing out and throw the switch I2 to off position, all as illustrated by dotted lines.

This takes care of anything causing subnormally low position of the tank I6 to be assumed. For instance, in case of power failure, a gas stove would go out when the gas in the tank I6 is exhausted.

When it is exhausted, however, the rod 62 is in dotted line position, thus shutting off the switch 'I2 and preventing subsequent generation of gas when the power comes back on, which gas would leak into the room through the open and unlit gas stove.

In Figure 6, I have shown a modification with respect to the association of the air heater with the carburetor. An air heater casing is indicated at 50a and surrounds a portion 53 of the carburetor A with a heating element 52a also surrounding this portion. By this arrangement, the air entering the carburetor passes over the heating element for thus heating the air and then after the air picks up th-e atomized gasoline, it flows through the portion 53 of the carburetor which is heated by the heating element 52a, thus heating the carbureted gas mixture as well as the incoming air.

A switch 54a is automatically controlled by a thermostatically responsive element 56a located in the path ofthe air from the casing 'a to the carburetor.

By the arrangement in Figure 6, the portion 53 of the carburetor becomes heated by the element 52a to thus more thoroughly vaporize the gas and air mixture fiowing through such portion. If there is any tendency for liquid fuel to settle in the portion 5S, such fuel will be vaporized even after the blower 2s stops operating due to the heat received from the element 52a..

To prevent the gas thusl generated from going back through the casing 59a. to atmosphere, I provide a check valve 55 s0 that if the gas thus generated should reach sufficient pressure, it will pass through the check valve 34 and into the storage tank l@ rather than back to atmosphere.

Associated with the blower 2 in Figure 6 I illustrate a small tube di having its lower end adjacent the bottom of the blower casing and its upper end extending into the passagewayfrom the carburetor to the blower. The purpose of this tube is to Vaporize the residue 38 shown in Figure 4 which collects whenever the blower stops operating if there has been any gasoline which has not vaporized. Subsequently, when the blower starts operating again, the lower end of the tube 4I is subject to pressure, while the upper end is subject to vacuum, thereby forcing the residue 38 upwardly through the tube and against the walls of the passageway from the carb-uretor to the blower. This wall is hot as it is surrounded by the heating element 52a and accordingly the residue is quickly and eiiiciently evaporated.

By using the tube 4|, all the residue can be taken care of providing the carburetor is adjusted properly. The residue container i2 can still be used and especially it serves well the purpose of being an indicator as to the proper setting of the carburetor.

The carburetor can be set so rich that all the gasoline iiowing from the gasoline nozzle in the carburetor cannot be vaporized by the blower and residue will then settle in the container 42, By adjusting the carburetor so that just a little residue appears, this residue will serve as an indicator of the fact that all the gasoline has not been vaporized and the carburetor can then be adjusted a predetermined degree leaner, whereupon there will be an entire absence of residue as it is taken care of by the tube @I as just described.

I have found a gas generating apparatus of this character quite economical in the consumption of gasoline for the volume of gas produced. All emergencies are taken care of by the safety devices, thus making the apparatus entirely automatic and safe to operate. It, of course, can generate gas from fuels other than stove and lighting gasoline and can be made in any capacity to serve as many or as few appliances as desired.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, 'and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. Gas generating apparatus comprising a storage tank, a centrifugal blower having an outlet connected therewith, an atomizing type carburetor connected with the intake of said blower, an overflow from the fuel bowl of said carburetor and means for rendering said blower inoperative responsive to fuel overflowing through said overflow.

2. .Gas generating apparatus comprising a storage tank, a centrifugal blower having an outlet connected therewith, an atomizingtype carburetor connected with the intake of said blower and including a float bowl, a valve controlling the flow of fuel to said carburetor, an overfiow for said float bowl and means receiving fuel from said overflow for closing said Valve and for rendering float bowl and means receiving fuel from said overflow for closing said valve.

4. Gas generating apparatus comprising a pair of telescoping tanks, a liquid seal between them, a centrifugal b-lower having an outlet connected with said tanks, an atomizing type carburetor connected with the intake of said blower, a heater for air entering .the intake of said carburetor and for the carbureted gas flowing therefrom, said blower being electrically operated, a switch responsive to the movement of one of said tanks relative to the other one for energizing and de-energizing said electrically operated blower and an automatic switch for said heater responsive to the temperature of air entering said carburetor.

5. In a gas generating apparatus, a storage tank, a centrifugal blower having an inlet and an outlet, said outlet being connected with said storage tank, a carburetor connected with said inlet, a heater for said inlet and means for transferring liquid fuel from the bottom of said blower to the part of said inlet heated by said heater for the purpose of atomizing unatomized fuel from said carburetor which settles in said blower.

6. In a gas generating apparatus, an outer tank, an inner tank, a liquid seal between the two, an overflow pipe for the liquid of said seal, an electrically operated blower, a switch therefor, a carburetor for generating gas, said blower being connected with said carburetor and said tanks to draw air through the carburetor and discharge it into said tanks and mechanism operated by liquid from said overflow pipe toi open said switch and thereby render said electrically operated blower inoperative.

'7 In a gas generating apparatus, an outer tank, an inner tank, a liquid seal between the two, an overflow pipe for the liquid of said seal, a blower, a carburetor associated therewith for generating gas, said blower being connected with said carburetor vand said tanks to draw air through the carburetor and discharge it into said tanks, a valve for controlling the flow of fuel to said carburetor and mechanism operated by liquid from said overflowing pipe for closing said valve.

8. In a gas generating apparatus, a storage tank, gas compressing means having an inlet and an outlet, said outlet being connected with said storage tank, a carburetor connected with said inlet, a heater associated with a part of said carburetor to heat the gases flowing therethrough and means for receiving liquid fuel from a part of said gas compressing means to which said liquid fuel gravitates and for discharging the received liquid fuel toward said part of said carburetor.

9. In a gas generating apparatus, a pair of tanks, a liquid seal between the two, an overflow pipe for the liquid of said seal, gas compressing means, a controller therefor, a carburetor for generating gas, said gas compressing means being connected with said carburetor and with said tanks to draw air through the carburetor and discharge it into the tanks and mechanism operated by liquid from said overiiow pipe to operate said controller and cause it to render said gas compressing means inoperative.

10. In a gas generating apparatus, a pair of' tanks, a liquid seal between the two, an overow pipe for the liquid of said seal, gas compressing means, a controller therefor, a carburetor for generating gas, said gas compressing means being connected with said carburetor and with said tanks to draw air through the carburetor and discharge it into the tanks, mechanism operated by liquid from said overflow pipe to operate said controller and cause it to render said gas compressing means inoperative and a valve for controlling the flow of fuel to said carburetor, said valve being closed by said mechanism.

1l. In a gas generating apparatus, an outer tank, an inner tank, a liquid seal between the two, an overow pipe for the liquid of said seal, an

electrically operatedblower, a switch therefor, a carburetor for generating gas, said blower being connected with said carburetor and said tanks to draw air through the carburetor and discharge it into the tanks, mechanism operated by the liquid vfrom said overiiow pipe to open said switch and thereby render said electrically operated blower inoperative, and a Valve for controlling the iiow of fuel to said carburetor, said valve being closed by said mechanism.

12. In a gas generating apparatus, a storage tank, a centrifugal blower having an inlet and an outlet, said outlet being connected with said storage tank, a carburetor connected with said inlet, a heater associated with a part of said carburetor to heat the gases flowing therethrough and a tube having one end extending from adjacent the bottom of said blower and subject to pressure of said outlet and its other end directed toward said part of said carburetor and subject to the vacuum of said inlet.

FRANK E. SUDDOTH. 

